Top Five Day Trips from Bucharest You Should Take

While Bucharest is a top urban destination in Romania, if you have enough time you should definitely take one or more day trips outside the capital. We hand-picked for you some of the finest ideas of day trips from Bucharest whether you’re looking for nature walks, cultural discoveries, visits to medieval attractions or castles and palaces.

A medieval day

Plenty of people mistake Prince Vlad the Impaler for Dracula and Bran Castle for Dracula’s Castle. While there’s no shame in chasing this movie created myth, our suggestion is you take advantage of your time in Bucharest to get to know more about the real Vlad the Impaler.

Besides the Old Court and the Monastery of Comana that are directly connected to his time as a prince, there are two more places you shouldn’t miss. The first is the former princely court of Targoviste, enlarged by the prince and strengthened with a tall tower that hosts today an exhibition about Vlad the Impaler. The second one is his mountain fortress from Poenari, on the present-day Transfagarasan route. Both monuments date from the medieval ages.

Walk across the Carpathian villages

The scenic landscapes of the Carpathian villages are closer than you think and various day trips from Bucharest can be easily done if you leave early morning. One of our favorite walking routes is from Magura to Pestera and back, two small mountain villages from Piatra Craiului National Park, close to Brasov. One day here will seem worlds apart from the noisy mospherephere of Bucharest.

Plus, the route is easily accessible even for children and it doesn’t require any special equipment, except for some comfortable sports shoes. Including the walking route and the drive from and back to Bucharest, you should reserve a full day.

Visit castles and palaces

Bucharest is a great departing point if you’d like to visit some of the most beautiful castles in Romania. Top of the list are Peles, Pelisor and Cantacuzino Castles from the mountain resorts of Sinaia and Busteni, Prahova Valley. Only a two hours drive from the capital and a smooth train ride away, these three castles are wonderful historical and cultural monuments to discover on a one day trip from Bucharest.

Bran Castle is also an option, although this means you have to start your day early if you want to be back in Bucharest before night fall. Much more closer to Bucharest, you can visit Mogosoaia Palace, a historical monument over 300 years old.

Relaxing day in Comana Nature Park

Comana Nature Park is less than one hour drive from Bucharest. You can take a bike tour, walk in the forest, observe birds and you can even go for a boat ride. Visit the church of the Monastery of Comana before you enter the park. Its interior paintings with Adam and Eve are rather unusual for an Orthodox church. You can easily reach Comana Nature Park from Bucharest by car or by bus.

One day in Brasov

Last, but definitely not least, you can take a one day trip to Brasov, one of the most beautiful cities in Transylvania. One of the seven citadels founded by the Saxon colonists starting with the 12th century, Brasov still conserves centuries-old monuments like the largest hall church East of Viena, the Black Church, and iconic landmarks like the Council Square and the towers and bastions from the old fortification lines.

You can easily travel by yourself from Bucharest, by car or by train. For a carefree experience with a professional tour guide, you can always opt for a private tour.